A Field Guide to the Brecks – Details, episodes & analysis

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A Field Guide to the Brecks

Brecks Landscape Partnership

Science

Frequency: 1 episode/8d. Total Eps: 14

Walking and talking through the Norfolk and Suffolk Brecks to find out what makes it one of the most unusual landscapes in the UK from the people who live and work with the land.

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Data updated on 31/07/2026

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http://www.brecks.org
13 shares
http://www.brecklandfarmerswildlifenetwork.org
2 shares
http://www.brecsoc.org.uk/welcome
1 share

http://www.brandon-tc.gov.uk
1 share

https://www.facebook.com/BrecklandForestRuns
1 share

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Score global : 52%

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Episode 13 - A Tour Around the Brecks with the Landscape Partnership

Season 1 · Episode 13

Tuesday, February 10, 2026 • Duration 01:02:02

This week, in the final episode of the series, Timo talks to Landscape Partnership founder, and Suffolk County Council’s Natural Environment Manager, Nick Dickson, and current Project Manager of the Landscape Partnership, Nicole Wade.

In this episode, they explore three different places in the Brecks:

the Great Eastern Pingo Trail across Thompson Common, a Norfolk Wildlife Trust reserve distinctive for hundreds of ice age pingo ponds
Warren Lodge, outside of Thetford, where rabbits were historically farmed – even supplying fur to Catherine of Aragon
the Anglo-Saxon village in the Country Park at West Stow.

Timo, Nick and Nicole discuss:

the many opportunities for learning and getting to know the Brecks, whether it’s unusual geology, rare species, the very long human history, or the planes that fly into the airbases!
how the poor soil in the Brecks has dictated what can and can’t be done here and created an unusual history of humanindustry in the area
the pingo ponds of the Brecks, why they’re here and why they matter
why are the pines that criss-cross farmland in the Brecks so twisted?
stories of rabbit farming in the Tudor Brecks and why rabbits are still essential to the landscape today
why isn’t the Brecks a designated landscape? And should it be?
the impact of volunteers in the Brecks and for the Landscape Partnership itself
how is the Landscape Partnership creating experiences for people to connect with and learn about the landscape?
how much we can learn from error in “trial and error”?
Nick’s background and how it influenced the development of the Landscape Partnership
Nicole’s background and her vision for the Landscape Partnership as a long-term, self-sustaining entity.

You can find out more about the Partnership at www.brecks.org. This is the final episode in series 1 - we will be taking a short break but will bring you series 2 very soon – thank you for listening!

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Episode 12 - Archaeological Play and Experimentation

Season 1 · Episode 12

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 • Duration 33:50

This week, Timo talks to Lance and Alfred from West Stow Country Park and Anglo-Saxon Village. Their exploration of the park starts with Æppel and Æcern, two wild-boar-mix pigs rootling beneath the trees, then wanders through the Anglo-Saxon village to the river where the team have created a log-boat or dug-out canoe and used cleared materials as resources for living history projects.

On their way, they discuss:

what can two pigs today teach us about ancient history
the evident 10,000 years of human history on the site and how the river Lark is key
how the team’s work with previous Landscape Partnerships helped put the river back at the centre of the exploration of human history in the Country Park
the importance of playful learning
the fascinating experimental archaeology taking place on site, including the trial-and-error process of creating a dug-out canoe
recipe development for replicating iron age paint
navigating potential conflicts between historical materials and modern ideologies
the wellbeing and mindfulness benefits of escaping into history
Lance’s hopes for the Country Park and the Landscape Partnership in the future.

Find out more about the Landscape Partnership at www.brecks.org and West Stow Country Park and Anglo-Saxon Village at www.weststow.org.

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Episode 11 - Art for Community Resilience

Season 1 · Episode 11

Tuesday, January 27, 2026 • Duration 48:40

This week, Timo talks to Maddie Exton, Artist and Creative Producer at MarketPlace Arts, an Arts Council funded Creative People and Places (CPP) charity. They discuss:

Maddie’s working-class, rural Suffolk background and how it has influenced her artistic practice and work in social engagement
exploring heritage and the environment through art and the interplay between research, nature, storytelling and creativity
should we explain our art or leave the audience to attribute their own meaning?
what rural creativity looks like compared to creativity in urban settings
the lack of working-class backgrounds in the arts and how to identify and overcome the barriers to art to make creativeopportunities accessible to everyone, no matter their background
the development of the annual Light up the Town events in Brandon and Mildenhall and how they started with reflecting on the seasons and planting bulbs
the impact of bringing communities together through art
what Maddie would like to see in the future of the Brecks.

Find out more about the Landscape Partnership at www.brecks.org, MarketPlace Arts at www.marketplacearts.org.uk and Maddie’s creative work at www.maddieexton.com.

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Episode 10 - Farming in Partnership for Biodiversity

Season 1 · Episode 10

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 • Duration 41:40

This week, Timo talks to Richard Evans, co-founder of the Breckland Farmers Wildlife Network (BFWN). They discuss:

the ingredients that formed the BFWN, from Richard’s background and network, to the Breckland Biodiversity Audit in 2010, evidencing nearly 13,000 species, around 2,000 of which are priority species, in the Brecks
how working collaboratively for ecology improvements has brought together otherwise isolated and competitive farms and businesses
the importance of facts and science when talking to farmers and how the standard advice for improving ecology is often a bad fit for the Brecks
the nitty-gritty of what farmers in the BFWN are doing on their land to improve connectivity and restore and protect the natural seedbank and biodiversity
the impacts this work can have such as visibly improving biodiversity and inspiring young people to explore agricultural careers
the Hampshire New Forest as a strange sort of sibling to the Norfolk and Suffolk Brecks
the Landscape Recovery Project the BFWN is proposing for the Brecks, and how it is unusual to have such a project run byfarmers rather than a conservation NGO
what Richard would like to see in the future of the BFWN and the Brecks Landscape Partnership.

Find out more about the Landscape Partnership at www.brecks.org and the Breckland Farmers Wildlife Network at www.brecklandfarmerswildlifenetwork.org.

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Episode 9 – Collaborative Working for River Health

Season 1 · Episode 9

Tuesday, January 13, 2026 • Duration 37:59

This week, Timo talks to Becky Carter, Catchment Engagement Manager and Martin Bowes, Strategy Manager for Anglian Water. They discuss:

how the word “heritage” applies naturally to water in the Brecks because it is the reason humans have lived in the area for so long
how being part of the Landscape Partnership was fundamental to Anglian Water creating the concept for their current way of collaborative working
the power of a network when balancing corporate business, innovation, and meeting regulation, with environmental improvements and community engagement
the importance of a hub-based structure for delivering large and complex projects
how Anglian Water works with its environmental regulator
the Cam Ely and Ouse Partnership (CamEO) and the Advanced Water Industry National Environment Programme (A-WINEP) as ways of pursuing environmental priorities through collaborative working across 11 different catchments
the aim of the A-WINEP programme to involve and train local catchment groups and stakeholders to improve the environment and social prosperity
working to combat the bad press water companies have and disprove negative preconceptions
the role technology might play in future water restoration projects, and the impact technology is having on water demand
the role of citizen science
what Anglian Water wants to see for the Brecks in future

Find out more about the Landscape Partnership at www.brecks.org and visit Anglian Water’s A-WINEP and CamEO collaborative project pages to find out more about their work in local communities.

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Episode 8 - The Running Community

Season 1 · Episode 8

Tuesday, January 6, 2026 • Duration 32:09

This week, we’re kicking off 2026 with a conversation withGraham Wade, co-founder of Run Breckland. Timo talks to Graham in September 2025 on Butten Island, between the Little Ouse and the Thet in the centre of Thetford.

They discuss:

the running community in and around Thetford
how Run Breckland got started and the building of their event calendar, including the first marathon in the area
the development of free, social runs outside of the big events
the connection Thetford has with large green spaces and its rich human heritage
how running opens people’s eyes to the area where they live
volunteering as a game-changer for the organisation and how they try to look after their volunteering community
the challenges Run Breckland face
the impact of the Landscape Partnership on the organisation
Run Breckland’s plans for the coming year
what Graham wants to see from the Landscape Partnership in future.

Find out more about the Landscape Partnership at www.brecks.org and you can find Run Breckland’s upcoming events here: www.ticketsource.co.uk/run-breckland or connect with them on Facebook @BrecklandForestRuns orInstagram @run_breckland.

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Episode 7 - River Works and their Communities

Season 1 · Episode 7

Tuesday, December 16, 2025 • Duration 36:39

This week, Timo talks to Lou Mayer, Environmental Programme Manager at the Environment Agency. They discuss:

the value of chalk streams
the impact of rainfall, the historical human-shaping of rivers, and the hazards to river health common in the Brecks
the importance of a river to its local community and how spending time outdoors prepares you for accepting change in day-to-day life
the art of respecting a community’s relationship with a river, whilst also working to modify it and Lou’s personal understanding of that through her love for outdoor swimming
Lou’s role seeking out and setting up collaborative projects to improve water environments
the difference a forward-thinking and supportive County Council can make for environmental projects
the projects the Environment Agency completed and started under the Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Scheme and what happens next.

Find out more about the Brecks Landscape Partnership at www.brecks.org

You can also learn more about the projects mentioned in thisepisode via the links below:

The fish and canoe pass at Brandon Staunch

The fish pass at Turf Lock, Mildenhall

Gas Pool and Jubilee Fields Consultation Document Lowering Barton Mills Sluice

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Episode 6 - Birds, Bunnies and Biodiversity

Season 1 · Episode 6

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 • Duration 29:33

{Apologies for the poor sound quality in this episode}

In this episode, Timo talks to Tim Cowan, Brecks Conservation Officer for the RSPB. They discuss:

Tim’s relationship with the Brecks and the changes to the landscape he has seen over the last 40 years
the importance of building public awareness of the Brecks as one of the most important areas in the UK for biodiversity
the story of the Stone Curlew in the Brecks – one of only two areas in the UK the bird breeds – and the project Tim runs with local farmers
the new project underway to protect the rare Turtle Doves that nest in the Brecks and how supporting them here differs from other places
the research being carried out by the British Trust for Ornithology as to how to protect the Common Curlew – a red list bird – of which the Brecks has the largest lowland grassland nesting population
the essential role of Rabbits in Brecks habitat management and the work Tim wants to see done to protect declining populations
the role Tim sees the Landscape Partnership playing as the representative of the Brecks as a whole.

Find out more about the Brecks Landscape Partnership at www.brecks.org

You can also learn more about the projects mentioned in this episode via the links below:

The Stone Curlew Project – www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/stone-curlew-projects-anniversary

The Accessible Rivers project at Lakenheath Fen – www.brecks.org/bfer/projects/revealing-the-rivers-connecting-with-communities/4-3-accessible-rivers-improving-access

RSPB Lakenheath Fen – www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/lakenheath-fen

Operation Turtle Dove – www.operationturtledove.org

The British Trust for Ornithology’s Common Curlew information page - The Mammal Society’s Rabbit information page (including their role as ecosystem engineer) –

Episode 5 – The Watery Brecks with Imogen Radford

Season 1 · Episode 5

Tuesday, December 2, 2025 • Duration 49:46

Timo talks to Imogen Radford about the role of water in one of the driest regions of the UK.

Imogen is a volunteer who ran two projects for the Partnership: one collecting and sharing oral histories of river recreation and the other introducing people to outdoor swimming. She also supported the research for one of The Breckland Society’s projects under the Partnership, examining the history of river-based industry.

This conversation takes place at Brandon Staunch, a popular river recreation spot. They discuss:

how Imogen discovered outdoor swimming andstarted doing historical research
how river access and generational knowledge ofriver has deteriorated over the last fifty years
the recent cultural rediscovery of the joys andbenefits of outdoor swimming
how outdoor swimming today connects people tolocal heritage and wildlife
how many people tried outdoor swimming for thefirst time in the Partnership and its impact for them
the differing feelings of swimming alone and incommunity
the stories of some of the people involved inher projects
what Imogen wants to see in the future partnership.

Find out more about collaborative working in the Brecks at www.brecks.org and you can view Imogen’s website at www.osbrecks.co.uk.

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Episode 4 - Tourism in the Brecks with Visit East of England

Season 1 · Episode 4

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 • Duration 27:56

Timo talks to Pete Waters, Executive Director of Visit East of England about tourism in the Brecks. They discuss:

how to work with what we have in attracting visitors to the area
how to curate the visitor experience to showcase the Brecks whilst still protecting it
why storytelling is key and the hidden gems within the Brecks’ story
how conversations can make or break a project
how devolution could be a great opportunity for the Brecks
Pete’s favourite places to visit in the area
what Pete would like to see next for the Brecks Landscape Partnership.

Find out more about collaborative working in the Brecks at ⁠www.brecks.org⁠ and about Visit East of England at www.visiteastofengland.com

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A Field Guide to the Brecks – Details, episodes & analysis

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A Field Guide to the Brecks – Details, episodes & analysis

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